Soulless: An Alexia Tarabotti Novel

Victorian romance mixes seamlessly with elegant prose and biting wit—and werewolves—in Gail Carriger’s delightful debut novel. Soulless introduces Alexia Tarabotti, a parasol-wielding Londoner getting dangerously close to spinster status. But there are more important things than finding a husband. For Alexia was born without a soul, giving her the ability to render any vampire or werewolf completely powerless.

Timeless: The Parasol Protectorate, the Fifth

Alexia Tarabotti, Lady Maccon, has settled into domestic bliss. Of course, being Alexia, such bliss involves integrating werewolves into London High society, living in a vampire's second best closet, and coping with a precocious toddler who is prone to turning supernatural willy-nilly. Even Ivy Tunstell's acting troupe's latest play, disastrous to say the least, cannot put a damper on Alexia's enjoyment of her new London lifestyle.

Prudence

When Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama ("Rue" to her friends) is bequeathed an unexpected dirigible, she does what any sensible female under similar circumstances would do: she christens it the Spotted Custard and floats off to India. Soon she stumbles upon a plot involving local dissidents, a kidnapped brigadier's wife, and some awfully familiar Scottish werewolves.

Etiquette & Espionage: Finishing School, Book 1

Fourteen-year old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. More interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea - and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy - Mrs. Temminnick is desperate her daughter become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish all right - but it's a different kind of finishing.

Imprudence

Rue and the crew of the Spotted Custard return from India with revelations that shake the foundations of England's scientific community. Queen Victoria is not amused, the vampires are tetchy, and something is wrong with the local werewolf pack. To top it all off, Rue's best friend, Primrose, keeps getting engaged to the most unacceptable military types. Rue has family problems as well. Her vampire father is angry, her werewolf father is crazy, and her obstreperous mother is both. Worst of all, Rue's beginning to suspect what they really are...is frightened.

A Carriger Quartet

Four original, unabridged, full-cast productions of Gail Carriger's most beloved fantasy short stories: "The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn't, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in the Jar": A mummified cat, a secret agent, and an aristocrat entangle Alessandro Tarraboti (father of Alexia Tarraboti from the Parasol Protectorate series) in a rollicking, wry adventure into the supernatural secrets of ancient Egypt.

A Study in Silks

In a Victorian era ruled by a council of ruthless steam barons, mechanical power is the real monarch and sorcery the demon enemy of the Empire. Nevertheless, the most coveted weapon is magic that can run machines - something Evelina has secretly mastered. But rather than making her fortune, her special talents could mean death or an eternity as a guest of Her Majesty's secret laboratories. What's a polite young lady to do but mind her manners and pray she's never found out?

Succubus Blues: Georgina Kincaid, Book 1

Succubus (n.) An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic (adj.) A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid. When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical? But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic.

Written in Red: A Novel of the Others

As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut - a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard - a business district operated by the Others. Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job.

Undead and Unwed: Queen Betsy, Book 1

Waking up in a tacky coffin and wearing off-brand shoes, Betsy Taylor can't believe the horrible turn her life has taken; then she discovers she's a vampire. Soon, Betsy becomes a participant in a power struggle between the forces of darkness. With only her friend Jessica and the hunky vampire Sinclair to help her, this new "Queen of Vampires" will have a tough time getting her afterlife straight.

Howl's Moving Castle

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book and ALA Notable and Best of the Year in Young Adult Fiction, Howl's Moving Castle is by acclaimed fantasy writer Diane Wynne Jones amd was transformed into an Academy Award nominated animated motion picture by Hayao Miyazaki. On a rare venture out from her step-mother's hat shop, Sophie attracts the attention of a witch, who casts a terrible spell transforming the young girl into an old crone.

Talon: The Talon Saga, Book 1

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have becomestrong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser. Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon.

The Mayfair Moon: The Darkwoods Trilogy, Book 1

After a nightmarish encounter with a werewolf, 17-year-old Adria Dawson loses her sister, but gains the love of a mysterious young man and his legendary family. Strange and tragic things begin to happen in the small town of Hallowell, Maine: residents come down with an unexplainable 'illness' and some disappear. In the midst of everything, Isaac Mayfair is adamant about keeping Adria safe, even from her sister whom he has warned her to stay away from.

Suzanne Finnegan says:"An average book which would appeal to werewolf fan"

Skinwalker: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1

Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind-a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who's killing other vamps.

Kitty and The Midnight Hour: Kitty Norville, Book 1

Kitty Norville is a midnight-shift DJ for a Denver radio station---and a werewolf in the closet. Sick of lame song requests, she accidentally starts "The Midnight Hour," a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged. After desperate vampires, werewolves, and witches across the country begin calling in to share their woes, her new show is a raging success.

Ink and Bone: The Great Library

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly - but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden. Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market.

Masked Ball at Broxley Manor: A Royal Spyness Novella

At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man - until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.

Scarlet

Posing as one of Robin Hood's thieves to avoid the evil Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only Big John and Robin Hood know the truth - that the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. It's getting harder to hide as Gisbourne's camp seeks to find Scarlet and drive Robin Hood out of Nottinghamshire. But Scarlet's instinct for self-preservation is at war with a strong sense of responsibility to the people who took her in when she was on the run, and she finds it's not so easy to turn her back on her band and townspeople.

Halfway to the Grave: Night Huntress, Book 1

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership. In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner…are there actually good vampires?

Phoenix Rising: A Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences Novel

Evil is most assuredly afoot - and Britain’s fate rests in the hands of an alluring renegade... and a librarian. These are dark days indeed in Victoria’s England. Londoners are vanishing, then reappearing, washing up as corpses on the banks of the Thames, drained of blood and bone. Yet the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences - the Crown’s clandestine organization whose bailiwick is the strange and unsettling - will not allow its agents to investigate. Fearless and exceedingly lovely Eliza D. Braun, however, with her disturbing fondness for dynamite, refuses to let the matter rest...

Curse on the Land: Soulwood, Book 2

Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded - even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals comes with dangers of its own.

Magic Binds: Kate Daniels, Book 9

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she's faced could have prepared her for this.... Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar.... Kate's father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power.

The Becoming: Anna Strong, Vampire, Book 1

Anna Strong is trained for anything-until she's attacked one night, only to awaken in a dark world that exists between the living and the dead. Here, Anna struggles with her love for the two men who inhabit the realms of each: Max, a human DEA agent, and Avery, a Night Watcher who joins Anna in pursuit of the vampire who changed her life. Now, as her two worlds collide, fate plunges Anna into the ultimate battle between good and evil - where survival is not just for the living.

Karen M. Krettler says:"Another new take on vampires and the paranormal."

At 17, Claire Trevelyan, daughter of Viscount St. Ives, was expected to do nothing more than pour an elegant cup of tea, sew a fine seam, and catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, Claire's talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the chemistry lab, where things have a regrettable habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine and loses, Claire finds herself down and out on the mean streets of London. But being a young woman of resources and intellect, she turns fortune on its head. It's not long before a new leader rises in the underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices...

Publisher's Summary

Gail Carriger created a fascinating steampunk vision of Victorian England in her “intoxicatingly witty” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) debut novel Soulless—the first in the best-selling Parasol Protectorate series. Changeless is the second in the series and finds Alexia Tarabotti, now the Lady Woolsey, quite put out after her werewolf husband goes missing. So, armed with her trusty parasol, Alexia boards a dirigible and heads for Scotland to find him.

Yes, I would listen again. Alexia is straight forward and amusing at the same time. The character development of all the characters is well thought out and most of them are extremely unexpected.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alexia is my favorite character in these books. As a pragmatic woman, who speaks her mind is extremely entertaining. Her attitude toward the acceptable and social status expected in the class conscious England of the late 1800 is refreshing and laugh out loud in it's boldness.

Which scene was your favorite?

All scenes in which Alexia swings her parasol rate high on my list. When she first meets the BUR head investigator makes you laugh out loud. And in the humor and craziness around her, there are also touching scenes, like when Alexia helps an old vampire watch a sunset unharmed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I read while I drive. I didn't want to reach my destination as I wanted to hear what happened next.

Any additional comments?

The entire changeless series is delightful. I would recommend you listen to all of them in order, and be prepared to laugh out loud.

Gail Carriger has created a wholly enjoyable series! Alexia and her whole cast of friends are very entertaining. I am an Amelia Peabody fan and, after reading Soulless, have concluded the Alexia and Amelia are definitely cut from the same, very proper, English cloth! Alexia just has the added twist of battling supernatural creatures along with her mysteries. :) I HIGHLY recommend this whole series! Emily Gray does a fantastic job of portraying the characters. This is a wonderful listen!

With a new parasol in hand, Alexia sets her sights on a hefty, new task: Train her husband, and the pack, to heel. Alexia takes on this task with the help of her most trustworthy companion, Ivy, and one of her petty and self-involved sisters. In this installment, we learn more about the influence of preternaturals; Professor Lyall continues to suffer in silence, and Major Channing Channing of the Chesterfield Channings makes quite an impression. While I know cliffhangers are frustrating, the cliffhanger in Changeless does not detract from the fact that this is a wonderful book and a phenomenal series. But to truly enjoy this series, it is important to read or listen to the books in order. So, catch-up, because Heartless, the fourth book, is coming out on July 1, 2011. As always, Emily Gray is brilliant!

If you enjoyed the first book and are interested in the characters, give this book a chance. Don't expect it to be as gripping and enjoyable as the first book, though. I'll definitely be reading the third book in the series because Carriger was smart enough to end this one with a surprise and a shock.

Yes. This series has vampires, werewolf, and more. It is a great Steampunk novel. Steampunk is a genre of fiction where steam power, spring gadgets and modern marvels of the 20th century are thrown back to Victorian aesthetics. Technology in a Neo-Victorian setting.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters, dialogue and the relationships between the characters.

The book was fine and enjoyable until the very end.
I really didn't get why a major character went off the handle. I mean isn't it obvious why and how could he be so horrible to Alexia? For me the mystery seemed so obvious and I think a lot of reader would agree with me. I have to read the next book to see if my guess is right or not. He must have been devastated but his action seems a bit harsh!

Ending aside, I enjoyed the story and had fun. I do hope hewill grovel real well in the next novel.

First I read the paperback--it walked away. Then I got the e-book, but that wasn't the same. 20 y/o agreed and bought the whole set. Then I got the audio and hit the jackpot! Emily Gray is an absolutely fantastic audio performer, and her work with the Parasol Protectorate proves it! The storyline is somewhat complicated, and while it works fine as a stand alone, it does make the reader not only want the rest of the series, but also the earlier one. Enjoy!

More deals add to the mystery of the super natural and the human s. What can be causing the supernatural s to stay or turn to their human state? No one knows yet but Alexei and her husband Connor are out to find out, unfortunately with a others in toll that can only muddy up things. Connor must come term with his old pack and his granddaughter. What does the mummy have to do with the mystery?Can Alexei be with child? Being soulless be why she is pregnant? How will Connor take the news? More mysteries.